Abstract
We examined the role of sleep-related memory consolidation processes in learning new form-meaning mappings. Specifically, we examined a Complementary Learning Systems account, which implies that sleep-related consolidation should be more beneficial for new hippocampally dependent arbitrary mappings (e.g. new vocabulary items) relative to new systematic mappings (e.g. grammatical regularities), which can be better encoded neocortically. The hypothesis was tested using a novel language with an artificial grammatical gender system. Stem-referent mappings implemented arbitrary aspects of the new language, and determiner/suffix+natural gender mappings implemented systematic aspects (e.g. tib scoiffesh + ballerina, tib mofeem + bride; ked jorool + cowboy, ked heefaff + priest). Importantly, the determiner-gender and the suffix-gender mappings varied in complexity and salience, thus providing a range of opportunities to detect beneficial effects of sleep for this type of mapping. Participants were trained on the new language using a word-picture matching task, and were tested after a 2-hour delay which included sleep or wakefulness. Participants in the sleep group outperformed participants in the wake group on tests assessing memory for the arbitrary aspects of the new mappings (individual vocabulary items), whereas we saw no evidence of a sleep benefit in any of the tests assessing memory for the systematic aspects of the new mappings: Participants in both groups extracted the salient determiner-natural gender mapping, but not the more complex suffix-natural gender mapping. The data support the predictions of the complementary systems account and highlight the importance of the arbitrariness/systematicity dimension in the consolidation process for declarative memories.
Highlights
Sleep-related memory consolidation processes play an important role in language learning [1,2,3,4,5]
In the current study we use the variation in the systematicity/arbitrariness of the sound-meaning mapping to further explore the role of sleep-related consolidation in language learning
This research suggests that statistical regularities in the form to meaning mapping are used in both word and grammar learning. While this does not rule out the existence of additional learning mechanisms in language learning [35, 54], the current study focuses on what these two learning problems have in common and how the learning of arbitrary and systematic aspects of the mappings are influenced by sleeprelated memory consolidation processes
Summary
Sleep-related memory consolidation processes play an important role in language learning [1,2,3,4,5]. In English nouns there is a high degree of systematicity in the mapping between the plural morpheme–s and its meaning (more than one object, e.g. apples, cherries) This type of variation in systematicy/arbitrariness in the sound to meaning mapping is thought to serve distinct purposes in language learning and use, with systematicity facilitating category learning and arbitrariness meaning individuation [11] In the current study we use the variation in the systematicity/arbitrariness of the sound-meaning mapping to further explore the role of sleep-related consolidation in language learning. We investigate the involvement of sleep-related consolidation in strengthening arbitrary mappings, as well as in extracting systematic regularities that exist across them
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